Taking the knee

Taking the knee is a symbolic gesture against racism where the person kneels on one knee. It was originated by American football player Colin Kaepernick on September 1, 2016 and led to the U.S. national anthem protests.^[1] It has been used in non-sporting contexts, such as Black Lives Matter protests,^[2] as well as in other sports, such as soccer.

U.S. national anthem protests

Use in soccer

Taking the knee was used by many clubs before kick-off throughout the 2020–21 English football season, which was booed by some fans.^[3]^[4]^[5] In September 2020 Middlesbrough said they would stop taking the knee.^[6] In December 2020 players from Millwall and QPR said they would not take the knee, but would instead stand arm-in-arm.^[7] By February 2021 other teams had stopped taking the knee, including Brentford,^[8] while individual players from other teams such as Wilfried Zaha said they would also stop.^[9] Zaha later became the first Premier League player to stop taking the knee.^[10] Derby County stopped in March 2021.^[11]

The England national team has taken the knee in 2021, which some fans have booed,^[12]^[13]^[14]^[15] which some have interpreted as being an example of racism in the sport.^[16]

On 8 June 2021, prior to a friendly game between Hungary and the Republic of Ireland, the Irish players had been booed by Hungarian fans prior to kick-off for taking the knee.^[17]

References

[1] ttps://www.bbc.co.uk/news/explainers-53098516

[2] ttps://www.bbc.co.uk/news/explainers-53098516

[3] ttps://www.independent.co.uk/sport/football/football-league/wayne-rooney-millwall-fans-boo-blm-derby-b1766998.html

[4] ttps://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/dec/07/minister-decries-millwall-fans-who-booed-players-for-taking-a-knee

[5] ttps://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/55327275

[6] ttps://www.thenorthernecho.co.uk/sport/18752564.britt-assombalonga-explains-middlesbroughs-players-decided-stop-taking-knee/

[7] ttps://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/55223935

[8] ttps://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/56057908

[9] ttps://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/56123991

[10] ttps://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/56388512

[11] ttps://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/56291904

[12] ttps://www.bbc.co.uk/news/newsbeat-57382945

[13] ttps://theathletic.com/2244447/2021/06/03/taking-knee-football-racism-violence-marxism-blm/

[14] ttps://www.telegraph.co.uk/euro-2021/2021/06/08/jordan-henderson-taking-knee-racism-roy-keane-wrong/

[15] ttps://edition.cnn.com/2021/06/05/football/euro-2020-england-taking-a-knee-spt-intl/index.html

[16] ttps://www.skysports.com/football/news/11095/12326827/england-players-being-booed-for-taking-a-knee-considered-a-racist-act-by-officials-according-to-senior-football-administrator

[17] ttps://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/57411682

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